Autonomous aerial vehicles have been gaining popularity in the last few years. UAVs have gone from a rarity to a common sight. UAVs are used not only by hobbyists and recreational flyers, but also by governments and businesses, for purposes such as surveillance, mapping, and most recently, aerial delivery.
In order to conduct high volume operations economically with a Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), the UAVs and ground equipment must be designed in a way that allows for the aircraft to be easily tested, calibrated, launched, and recovered.